Crane for erecting silos



Jan. 10, 1950 w. c. LUTZ 2,493,837

CRANE FOR ERECTING SILOS Filed June 20. 194'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvzgrdazuzz Jan. 10, 1950 w. c. LUTZ 2,

CRANE FOR ERECTING SILOS Filed June 20, 1947 v 5 Sheets-Sheet s W122; a L a Z2:

Jan. 10, 1950 w. c. LUTZ 2,493,887

CRANE FOR ERECTING SILOS Filed June 20, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 VVZ'ZZarJ CfLuZ- z Jan. 10, 1950 w. c. LUTZ CRANE FOR ERECTING SILOS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 20, 1947 2'ZZara 6TZ/u7z Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES OFFICE This invention relates to an improved apparatus for building or erecting silos. An object of this invention is to provide an improved erection crane for silos which is formed of tubular sections connected together to form upright columns, there preferably being three such columns with two of the columns connected together at their upper ends by an I beam, and the other column having one end of a second beam connected thereto. The second beam is pivotally connected to the first beam and during the initial raising of the silo ring, the second beam inclines downwardly from the column with which it is connected. When the silo ring has been raised to the desired degree, the pair of columns are raised, carrying upwardly therewith the second beam which will incline downwardly from the free end thereof so that the elevated silo section, which is suspended from a carriage movable on the second beam, will roll downwardly and inwardly until the spring clips carried by the silo section automatically clamp onto the upright columns. When the silo section clamps onto the columns it can be lowered into engagement with the preceding set section and secured thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide in combination with a cylindrical silo section, a pair of diametrically disposed resilient clips or clamps and an intermediate resilient clip or clamp for clamping onto upright construction columns, so that the silo sections upon rolling inwardly of the elevator will be automatically stopped in vertical alignment with the preceding sections and may then be lowered for setting or securing to the uppermost and previously set section.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation, partly broken away, of a crane structure constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of the upper portion of the device,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the device,

Figure 6 is a plan View, partly broken away and in section, of one of the silo sections,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line i-l of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 6, showing the joining of two silo sections together,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line Q9 of Figure 7,

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line i ii-i ii of Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line i i--! i of Figure 1,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line i2-i2 of Figure 3,

Figure 13 is a plan view, partly in section, showing the manner in which the silo sections may be connected to vertical angle members,

Figure 14 is a fragmentary side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 13.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a pair of upright supporting columns or posts, and the numeral H5 designates generally an intermediate column or post. The columns i5 and it are of like construction and each includes a plurality of end abutting pipe sections H which, as shown in Figure 11, are provided at their upper ends thereof with internal threads 58 within which a short length pipe or plug is is adapted to be threaded.

The pipe or plug section I9 is provided with a smooth surface 20 above the top of the pipe section i'i, whereby the plug 19 may have the extended smooth portion 20 thereof telescoping into the lower end of a succeeding pipe section. In this manner the columns may be progressively extended from the lower end thereof by suitable jack means (not shown), for raising the column to permit the positioning of a lower pipe section onto the lower end of the preceding pipe section.

The columns l5 have mounted on their upper ends a cap 2i and an I beam 22 is disposed on the upper ends of the columns 15. The I beam 22 has secured to the lower side thereof a pair of depending ears 23 and the cap 2| has extending upwardly therefrom an ear 24, engaging between the cars 23 and pivotally secured to the latter by means of a pivot member 25, The intermediate column it has secured to the upper end thereof a cap "it and a rear end of. an elevator pivotally secured to the cap 26. The beam 2'5 has secured to the lower side thereof a bearing car 28 and a pair of cars. 29 are secured to the cap 25am]. pivotally connected with the ear 28 by means of a pivotmember 39.

The elevator beam 2? is rockably suspended from the beam 22 by means ofv 2. depending ear 3 3| engaging between a pair of ears 32. The ear 3! is secured to the lower side of the beam 22 whereas the pair of cars iii are secured to the upper side of the beam 2'! and a pivot member 33 connects the ears 3: and 32 together.

A carriage generally designated as 3 3 movably engages the elevator beam 21 and comprises a pair of rollers 35 secured to the upper ends of a pair of suspension bars 36. The rollers 35 movably engage the lower base flanges 3? of the beam 21 and a stop member 38 is secured to the web of the beam 2? adjacent the outer or free end thereof.

The depending arms or links 36 have rotatably mounted between the lower ends thereof a pair of pulleys or sheaves 39 about which an elevating cable or rope ill is train d. A lower pair of pulleys M is associated with the upper pair of pulleys 33 and a depending clevis 42 extends downwardly from the lower pair of pulleys d! and has secured thereto a plurality of flexible members 43 each having hooks M at their outer or lower ends. The hooks i i are adapted to engage eyes in the silo sections, as will be hereinafter described, for raising each section, one by one.

A plurality of silo forming sections generally designated as 35 are adapted to be elevated and connected together through the medium of the structure hereinbefore described. Each silo section comprises a cylindrical body d8 which is formed with a circular tongue or tenon 4'? at its upper edge, and is formed with a circular mortise or groove 58 at its lower edge.

A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart eyes 69 have shanks 56 and anchoring members 5! embedded in the upper ends of the cylindrical bodies :36, with the eyes 49 projecting above the tenon or tongue G7. The hooks 46 are adapted to engage these eyes 33 so that the silo sections can be readily raised from the ground to a position for connection with a precedingly set silo section.

The lower end of each body 45 is also formed with a socket 52 within which the eye of a preceding silo section is adapted to engage so that the tongue and groove of the adjacent silo sections may inter-engage in order to firmly lock the silo sections together. When the silo sections are locked together, a sealing medium 53 may be interposed between the ends of adjacent sections.

In order to provide a means whereby the silo sections may be readily mounted one upon the other, I have provided mounting clips generally designated as 5 3 and 55. In the casting of the silo section or body 46, a plurality of circumierentially spaced. apart plates 56 are embedded in the outer side of the body 36 and formed with a pair of threaded holes El. The clip 54 engages a plate 58 which is secured by fastening members 59 to the plate 53 and the plate 58 has extending outwardly therefrom a resilient hook-shaped clip 69 terminating in an outwardly flared extension clip 6 l.

The clips 54 are diametrically disposed, as shown in Figure 6, and are adapted to engage about the columns [5 when the carriage 34 with I a suspended silo section 45 is moved inwardly or in the direction of the intermediate column H5.

The clip 55 is formed of an arcuate clip body 62 having a pair of flared guide members 63 extending therefrom for leading and guiding the intermediate column !6 into the clip body portion 62.

In the use and operation of this invention the columns l5 and it are initially raised to a convenient initial working height. The elevator beam 21 is initially disposed on a downwardly and outwardly inclined angle, as shown in Figure 1. The silo section 45 is then raised by pulling the cable 40 and when the section 45 is slightly above the precedingly set section, the two columns l5 are raised by application of a pair of jacks on the lower ends thereof so that the elevator beam 21 will assume a downwardly and rearwardly inclined angle, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

When the beam 21 is disposed on a downwardly and inwardly inclined angle, the carriage 34 will roll inwardly until the clips 55 and 55 engage the upright tubular columns i5 and i6 respectively. When the silo section 45 is locked by means of the clips 54 and 55 to the columns 15 and 16, cable 50 may be released to permit lowering of the upper silo section to engaging position with the preceding section. After the silo or tubular body has been constructed to the desired height, the cylindrical sections may be bolted together by means of vertically disposed angle bars 64 which are secured by fastening members 65 to the embedded plates 55.

It will be understood that when thesilo or hollow column has been built to the desired height, the columns i5 and it will be removed and the clips 54 and 55 may also be removed from the outer sides of the silo sections. By bolting the silo sections together through the medium of the vertical angle bars the tubular body formed by the cylindrical sections may be used as a water tank, a chimney or the like.

With a construction of this kind the building of a silo of any desired height has been simplified and the silo can be constructed within a short time. It will be understood that the crane will have associated therewith conventional jacks for raising the columns or posts it and it to the desired degree in order to provide for tiltin the elevator beam to the desired angle for either initially raising a silo section or for gravitatingly moving the elevated silo section to setting position.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within th purview of th appended claims. 7

What I claim is:

l. A crane comprising a pair of upright tubular columns, an intermediate upright tubular column spaced from said pair of columns, each column being formed of tubular sections with each section having a tubular connector in one end thereof projecting from said one end and telescoping into an adjacent section, a beam pivotally mounted on and connecting the upper ends of said pair of columns, an elongated elevator beam pivotally secured at one end thereof to the upper end of said intermediate column, means pivotally connecting an intermediate portion of said elevator beam to said first named beam, a carriage movably carried by said elevator beam, and an elevating sheave carried by said carriage.

2. A crane comprising at least three upright columns, each column being formed of aligned tubular sections, means coupling said sections together whereby the outer surfaces will be flush with each other, a beam extending between a pair of said columns-means pivotally securing said beam to said pair of columns, an elevator beam disposed at substantially right angles to said first beam, means pivotally securing one end of said beam to the top of the other of said columns, means pivotally securing an intermediate portion of said elevator beam to said first REFERENCES CITED beam, a carriage movably carried by said elevator beam, and sheave means carried by said carriage. g ifi ig ffi are of record in the 3. A crane formed of at least three upright columns, a beam connecting a pair of said col- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS umns together at their upper ends, a second beam Number Name Date disposed at right angles to said first beam, means 361 418 Hunt 7 Apr 19 1887 pivotally securing said second beam to the re- 524553 1894 maining column, means pivotally securing said 1 787863 Horvath i 1931 second beam between the ends thereof to said 10 2201608 Causey 1940 first beam, and an elevator carriage movably en- Laird 1944 gagmg Saldsecond beam- 2,360,222 Gruening Oct. 10, 1944 WILLARD C. LUTZ. 

